Kid-Friendly Hamburger Helper

About

This Keto take on a classic hamburger helper makes a great kid-friendly low carb dinner. Finding Keto compliant family meals that everyone can enjoy can be challenging. However, this simple yet delicious dinner is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser – perfect for both Keto and non-Keto family members. Better still, it is cooked in one skillet making it low fuss and minimal washing up!

Can I Use a Different Meat?

We have used ground beef for our Keto hamburger helper. If you wish to use an alternative ground meat, this would work just as well with the recipe. Ground pork, ground chicken thigh or ground turkey thigh would make the best substitutes. Fattier cuts of meat will provide more flavor and will be less likely to dry out when cooking.

Serving Suggestions

This kid-friendly Keto dinner provides four hearty servings. This also makes a great main accompanied by your favorite low carb sides. Why not serve with a hearty Keto salad or some low carb vegetable fries? You can find a vast array of options in our sides section. Please be sure to adjust your macros accordingly to account for any changes made to the recipe or any additional toppings or sides.

Ingredients

17 ½ ounce hamburger or ground beef, 90% lean
2 slice – 6" long bacon
2 tablespoon red onion
1 ½ tablespoon cream cheese spread
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large zucchini
1 teaspoon gourmet collection smoked paprika by mccormick
⅔ cup beef broth, bouillon or consomme, ready-to-serve can
⅔ cup tomato sauce
½ cup, grated cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon mustard powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt, sea salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium/high heat. Add the bacon strips and cook through until crispy and golden. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set to one side. Once cool enough to handle, crumble the cooked bacon into small pieces.
Finely chop the onion. Add the ground beef to the skillet used to cook the bacon. Add the chopped onion, paprika, garlic powder, mustard powder and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Cook over a medium heat until the onion is tender and the beef is browned all over. Please feel free to adjust the spices and seasonings to personal preference.
Add the passata (tomato sauce), stock and cream cheese. Stir well to combine, melting the cream cheese into the sauce. Bring up to a gentle boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce is reduced right down until thick and creamy. You may use an alternative stock or broth such as chicken or vegetable if desired.
While the beef is simmering, slice off the ends of the zucchini and peel and discard the skin. Peel the zucchini flesh into wide ribbons. Once the sauce is thickened, add the zucchini ribbons. Toss well to combine with the beef and sauce. Cook for a minute or so until the zucchini is just tender. Do not overcook, or the zucchini will become mushy and watery.
Remove from the heat and sprinkle the grated cheddar over the top of the beef and zucchini mixture. This will melt from the heat of the skillet. Crumble over the cooked bacon pieces. Serve hot, optionally with your preferred Keto sides.